Apparatus for producing stage illusions



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

Pf. B. MYERS. APPARATUS PoR PRODUGING STAGE ILLUsIoNs...

Patented Oct Wilrzesses:

Zalm l 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

(No Model.)

P. B. MYERS. APPARATUS PoR PRODUGINGSTAGB ILLUsIoNs. No. 547,085.

Patented Oct. 1,1895.

I In Venier.-

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PHINEAS B. MYERS, OF ROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUClNG STAGE HLLUSIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,085, dated October1, 1895.

' Application sied .my 2.1895. sein No. 564,693. (No man.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHINEAS B. MYERS, of Brooklyn, New York, haveinvented an Improved Apparatus for Producing Stage Illusions, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing a stage illusion offalling snow, and is more particularly designed for use on smallstages-such as for Sunday-school entertainments and the like.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of theapparat-us, showing it in operative position. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of box a, showing its top. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing itsbottom. Fig. 4c is a detail vertical section through the joint betweentwo boxes; Fig. 5, a similar section through the end of the box d. Fig.6 is a top view of box a, showing it flattened out; Fig. '7, a bottomview of said box, showing it fiattened out; Fig. 8,`a top view of box d,showing it iiattened out; and Fig. 9 shows the blank of box a..

My improved apparatus consists of a series of paper boxes a a free toslide on a string or wire b, that is attached to two fixed supports c c.The two end boxes d are somewhat shorter than the boxes a, and areattached, respectively, to the support c by a spring e and to a pullropee', running over a pulley o2 of support c. Each of the boxes a is formedof a blank. (More fully illustrated in Fig. 9.) It is composed,essentially, of top a', bottom d2, sides as a4, and end liaps a5 a6 a7as. The top o. is provided with a charging-opening adapted to be closedbya pair of gates a, while the bottom a2 is provided with a series ofperforations al@ and marginal slots au. The flaps a5 have a longitudinalslot 0.12 and a tongue 0.13, containing two eyelets d w15. The fiaps ahave a longitudinal slot al and a tongue a, containing a single eyelet0.15.

To make up the box it is folded on its longitudinal creases andconnected at its end by securing the gumming-flaps al to the side at.The ends a7 a8 are turned in and the flap a5 turned up, with its tongueatl-3 projecting through the slot am. Finally the flap 0.G is

turned down and its tongue a passed first into the slot @12 and then.out of the slot du. The result isa box, Figs. 2 and 3, which is closedat its ends and there provided with the upwardly-projecting tongue amand the downwardly-projecting tongue a. The string l) is passed looselythrough the upper eyelets am, while staples f, Fig. 4t, are passedthrough the eyelets du als of adjoining boxes to connect them into aseries. The end boxes cl are attached to spring e or pull-rope e, Fig.5, by means of staples f. These end boxes are made preferably shorterthan the boxes a to permit the upsetting of the stapleshanks by means ofthe fingers.

The boxes d have perforated tongues d cl2 on one end only, While at theopposite end they are perforated, as at d3, for the admission of thestaple f.

ln use some or all of the boxes are charged with scraps of paper g, andthe pull-rope e is quickly manipulated to cause a reciprocating motionof the boxes upon the string h. This will cause the scraps g to bedischarged from the perforations aloina manner well designed to imitatea miniature snow-storm.

1. A stage apparatus consisting of astring, a series of perforated boxesmovable thereon, and a hand rope for operating the boxes, substantiallyas specified.

2. A stage apparatus consisting of a string, a series of suspendedperforated boxes having upwardly and dowwardly projecting tongues, meansfor connecting the tongues, andaspring and hand rope connected to theend boxes, substantially as specified.

3.' A paper box for stage illusions, having a perforated bottom, slottedend liaps a5 a, and perforated tongues projecting from such flaps,substantially as speciiied.

4. A paper box for stage illusions, having a perforated and slottedbottom a2, an open top d', slotted end flaps a, having perforatedtongues als, and slotted end iiaps a6, having perforated tongues 0.17,substantially as specified.

PHIN EAS B. MYERS.

Witnesses:

WiLLIAM SCHULZ,

v. BmEsEN.

